The invention relates to coupling devices in general, and more particularly to improvements in coupling devices of the type which can be used with advantage as a means for establishing separable leakproof connections between the terminal portions of pipes, hoses, tubes and/or other tubular components. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in devices which can be utilized with advantage as so-called hose couplings, e.g., under the hoods of motor vehicles and elsewhere.
Commonly owned German Pat. No. 38 13 192 granted Apr. 12, 1990 to Sauer discloses a hose coupling wherein the terminal portion of the hose is sealingly clamped between the internal surface of a tubular connector and the external surface of a metallic sleeve. The pipe or tube to which the hose is to be coupled has an external retaining rib which is engageable by deformable arms of the connector. To this end, a portion of the connector is introduced into the terminal portion of the pipe or tube and the latter deforms a sealing ring which is placed between its internal surface and the external surface of an exposed portion of the sleeve, namely a portion which extends from the connector. The sleeve must be inserted into the connector from one end, and the terminal portion of the hose must be inserted into the connector from the other end. Such assembly of the sleeve with the connector and with the hose is followed by the provision of one or more corrugations in the internal surface of the sleeve so that the terminal portion of the hose is sealingly clamped between the sleeve and the connector. The sleeve has at least one external shoulder which abuts a radially inwardly extending collar at one axial end of the connector. This prevents the hose from drawing the entire sleeve into the interior of the connector. The patented hose coupling is designed to ensure that the connection between the connector and the terminal portion of the hose can stand pronounced axial separating stresses.
A drawback of the patented hose coupling is that the terminal portion of the hose and the sleeve cannot be introduced into the connector through the same axial end of the connector. This renders it necessary to introduce the sleeve into the terminal portion of the pipe or tube when the assembly of the coupling with the hose and with the pipe or tube is completed. Consequently, a portion of the path for the flow of a fluid from or into the terminal portion of the tube or pipe is taken up by at least one part of the patented coupling.